2026 August eBytes
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Need to Renew Your US Passport? You Can Now Do It in About 10 Minutes Online
How to troubleshoot your PC problems with Copilot or ChatGPT - effectively
The Best Identity Theft Protection Software We've Tested for 2026
What AI Writing Actually Looks Like Once You Know What to Look For
Is Your Gmail Maxed Out? How to Clear Your Google Drive Storage Right Now
Do you still need third-party antivirus on your Windows PC?
Your Data Was Leaked. Here's What Hackers Hope You Don't Do Next
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Need to Renew Your US Passport? You Can Now Do It in About 10 Minutes Online
One of the most historically frustrating government applications is now as easy as ordering dinner.
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How to troubleshoot your PC problems with Copilot or ChatGPT - effectively
I got tired of frustrating, error-filled troubleshooting sessions with AI chatbots, so I asked Copilot for help. Here's what I learned about better prompting.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/ai-troubleshooting-secrets-my-interview-with-copilot-chatgpt/
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The Best Identity Theft Protection Software We've Tested for 2026
Identity theft can empty your bank account, destroy your credit rating, and leave you struggling with debts you didn’t incur. These are the top services we've tested to prevent, detect, and remediate identity theft.
https://www.pcmag.com/picks/best-identity-theft-protection-software
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What AI Writing Actually Looks Like Once You Know What to Look For
AI writing has consistent, recognizable patterns that no detector captures better than a well-trained eye.
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Is Your Gmail Maxed Out? How to Clear Your Google Drive Storage Right Now
Is your Google Drive always on the verge of being full? Learn how to track down and delete files shared with you, large videos, PDFs, and stuff you no longer need.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/gmail-maxed-out-clear-google-drive-storage-tips
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Do you still need third-party antivirus on your Windows PC?
Earlier this year, Microsoft quietly deleted a post that argued Windows 11's built-in Microsoft Defender Antivirus was good enough for most people. But independent evidence says they were right.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/do-you-still-need-third-party-antivirus-on-your-windows-pc/
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Your Data Was Leaked. Here's What Hackers Hope You Don't Do Next
Your information is already out there. What you do in the next few hours could determine whether hackers steal your money, hijack your accounts, or move on to an easier target.
https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/your-data-was-leaked-heres-what-hackers-hope-you-dont-do-next
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Links - News, Tips, & Downloads
If You Forgot Your Apple Account Password Here's How to Reset It - You need these credentials to access Apple services on your devices.
14 Easy Fixes to Make Windows 11 Feel Faster - Don't reinstall Windows if you PC is slow. Try these simple tricks, and you should see a noticeable speed boost.
https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/14-easy-fixes-to-make-windows-11-feel-faster
Psst! You Can Remove Your Personal Info From Google Search. Here's How - Does a Google search turn up way too much information about you? Follow these tips to remove your phone number, email and physical addresses, and other data from the site's results.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/psst-you-can-remove-your-personal-info-from-google-search-heres-how
The Right Way to Get Rid of Old Laptops, PCs and Printers (and It's Free) - Getting rid of old computers and printers responsibly is free, accessible and considerably simpler than most people assume.
13 Google Photos settings I always change on every new device - and why - Before I let Google Photos loose on my camera roll, I check these backup, privacy, and AI settings first.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-photos-settings-i-change-on-new-android-iphone-why/
The Genius Way I Cleared the Dreaded 'iPhone Storage Is Full' Message - Finding, accessing and deleting the biggest files on an iPhone isn't the easiest. Thankfully, there's a workaround to simplify things.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/iphone-storage-full-delete-manage-files-workaround/
Slow Computer? It's Probably Your Browser. 7 Ways to Speed Up Google Chrome - Does it feel like Chrome is moving at a snail's pace? Follow these tips and tricks to give Google Chrome a speed boost.
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Ask a Question - Send any Tips & Downloads, Ask a Question, For Sale, or articles to: TheMiningPCC@gmail.com
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Q. From a PCC Member Mike Griffin - Edge AI is the practice of running machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms directly on local devices—like smartphones, sensors, or IoT gateways—rather than in remote cloud data centers. By processing data on-site, it ensures instantaneous decision-making, strict data privacy, and operational reliability even without an internet connection. [1, 2, 3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQViYVo2L4w&authuser=0
Key Benefits & Technology
Moving AI workloads to the "edge" of the network solves several traditional cloud-computing bottlenecks. [1, 2]
Ultra-Low Latency: Processing data where it is generated eliminates network transit time, enabling real-time responses essential for self-driving cars, robotics, and industrial automation. [1, 2, 3]
Enhanced Privacy: Sensitive data (e.g., biometric scans or medical records) never leaves the local device, minimizing exposure to breaches. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Offline Reliability: Devices can function autonomously without needing a constant, stable internet connection. [1, 2]
Reduced Bandwidth & Costs: Instead of streaming massive, raw data streams to a centralized server, devices only transmit lightweight insights or summaries.
Response from Tom Kreuzer - That has always been the case for IT systems and services long before the AI push. If you have the hardware, software, and data all local go for it. If not, a distributed or central server is a better or only solution. For simple summarizing my text or email, it can be done locally. Most of what I do in AI requires information and data that is not local to complete the task. Microsoft, like Apple, has a number of AI features built into the OS or bolted on, but most require non local help. Microsoft has been trying to promote Copilot+ enabled PCs. Because of the cost of the additional processing, memory, and data storage they are not finding much of a market yet. Lots of issues tied up in AI and lots of companies like Esper trying to sell services and solutions.
Response from Chuck Scott, a PCC Board member. This is interesting. If I understand (remember - I am not an engineer) correctly, this promises to
* reduce the need for data center capacity
* make self-driving vehicles and other real-time devices more responsive and thus safer
* lessens vulnerability to intrusions and data theft
Correct me if I am off-base
Responds from Mike Griffin - Essentially that is correct. I am not sure how much self-driving vehicles rely on the cloud AI for navigation, but better AI models and faster processors on the vehicle would be a safety benefit.
One enabler for Edge AI is the realization of AI optimized architectures in the chips. For example, the Apple M4 “chip” contains roughly 28 billion transistors. Onboard are up to 10 CPUs, 10 GPUs, and 16 NPIs, plus embedded RAM. The Neural processor architecture (NPUs) is well suited for AI models. They also added some NPU-like features in the GPUs to help offload the NPUs for heavy graphics models. So even Apple’s lowest end computers and most iPads can run “Apple Intelligence” functions. It is not just Apple. IBM, for example, has been working on Edge AI since 2023.
There will always be huge AI models that need the massive cloud servers, but Edge AI will continue to grow, chips will keep getting more powerful, reduce demand on the AI cloud and data network. Stay tuned!
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